Malibu Boats Wakesetter 20VTX 2018, Owner'S Manual

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Malibu Owners Manual • 2018 • Safety • Page 1-28
the boat into gear.
• Slowly take up slack in tow lines before accelerating to watersports speeds. Jerking the slack out of a tow line can cause
high forces on the rope and towing equipment. This may cause the rope or equipment to break and the rope to snap back at
occupants of your boat and at the towed person.
• Never put your arm, head or any other part of your body through the handle/bridle of the ski or wakeboarding line, nor wrap
the line around any part of the body at any time. If you fall, the line will tighten and forcefully constrict around your body part
and may result in amputation.
• DO NOT ski near swimming areas, beaches, personal watercraft, or other vessels/boats.
• Never attempt land or dock starts. These activities will increase your risk of injury or death.
• DO NOT jump from a boat that is moving at any speed, nor enter or exit the water when the engine is running.
• DO NOT “back up” to anyone in the water, they will be in danger of hitting the spinning propeller which can cause severe
injury or death.
• DO NOT follow directly behind another boat or skier/rider without leaving an adequate safe distance in case that towed
person falls into the water. You will need ample time and distance to maneuver your boat away from that person in the water
and to avoid their tow boat which will be circling back to retrieve their downed person.
• DO NOT participate in towed watersports at night. It is illegal and other boats will not be able to see you, nor will they
anticipate or expect your presence behind the towing boat. Furthermore, once you fall they will not see you swimming.
• DO NOT tow with multiple skier/riders with different length ropes.
• DO NOT ski in limited visibility conditions.
• Never climb, sit or stand on a wakeboard tower. The wakeboard tower is intended for towing only as noted. It is designed to
pull a limited number of individual(s), and in some cases only one (1) individual. Please consult the remainder of this manual
and warning labels on the tower for details. The wakeboard tower approved for use on your boat should be used only for
water skis, wakeboards or recreational towables, and not for parasailing, kite flying or towing other boats.
• Many states require the use of “skier down” flags. Check your local lake and state requirements. Having the observer raise a
skier down flag when your towed watersport participant falls down or off the towed device will alert boats around you to the
fact that someone is in the water nearby and that they should avoid the area.
• Many lakes have recommended tow patterns. Other boats may expect that you know the local customs and practices.
It is common that the tow pattern is counter-clockwise around the lake, but there are exceptions. Check for local
recommendations or requirements.
• NEVER lift or trailer the boat with water in the bilge or in ballast tanks. Lift or trailer per manufacturer’s instructions.
• Around marina docks where electrical current is present (such as shore power connections) it is unsafe to swim as stray
electrical currents may exist which can cause you to drown.
TOW LINE GUIDELINES
Tow lines come in different lengths and strengths for different activities. Make sure any line you are using is suited for skiing or
riding and that it is in good condition.
• Never use a tow line that is frayed, knotted, unraveling or discolored from use or being left in the sun. If a line breaks while in use
it can recoil at the skier/rider being towed or into the watercraft where it might strike passengers. Replace tow lines with any sign
of damage.
• Never use a tow line with elastic or bungee material to pull skiers or riders.
• Tow line should be attached to the watercraft in an approved fashion with hardware designed for towing. Refer to your watercraft
manual for instructions on proper tow line attachment.
• Always route tow lines away from the propeller, even when idling. Shut off the engine if your boat starts to cross a floating tow line.
• If a tow line should become entangled in a propeller, shut off engine, remove the key and put it in your pocket before retrieving the line.
• Tow lines should be neatly coiled and stowed in the boat when not in use.
FALLEN SKIER OR RIDER
Falling and injuries are common in water skiing and other towed watersports. Keep tow speeds in a comfortable range given the
rules of the activity and the skill level of participants.
• Display a red or orange skier/rider down flag to alert other vessels that a skier/rider is down. In some states, it is required to raise
the “fallen skier” flag when the skier has fallen.
• Turn the boat and slowly circle toward the person in the water to return the tow line handle or towed device to that person.
• Always keep the fallen skier/rider in view and preferably on the operator’s side of the watercraft.
• Put the watercraft in neutral whenever you are near a fallen skier/rider.
• Shut off the engine when retrieving someone from the water or if the person in the water gets too close to the boat. Do not
trust neutral gear with an idling engine. Someone may accidentally or prematurely shift the gear, or the linkages may be out of
adjustment and the propeller may still be slowly spinning.